Adonais
by Atrophyy
Summary: No more let life divide what death can join together. Victor Frankenstein is thrust into a world more horrific than the one he already occupies and will meet a soul he cannot ignore.
1. Chapter 1

The room was quiet save for the soft ringing the blades made as the knives were sharpened slowly and perhaps unnecessarily. Phaedra stood side on to Sir Malcolm, who was tense and kept glancing at his pocket watch. Most people wouldn't have been able to read the apprehension in his posture but to her it was obvious, she had known him long enough now to be able to read him easily.

"We don't need him." Phaedra said, sparing him a glance before turning back to her weapons "_I _don't need him." She insisted. She did not like this at all. They didn't need anyone else, she was more than capable of defending them, and the thought of bringing a stranger into the horrific truth they wrestled with did not sit well with her, she didn't think he could be trusted.

"I have already spoken to you of this matter." Sir Malcolm said, sighing with impatience that she had brought up her disagreement once again. Every time he looked at her he was startled for a moment. She truly was a sight to behold. She was only young, young enough to be his daughter and yet she had already endured more horror than most people did their entire lives and when he looked into her youthful face and remembered all she'd been through and all he'd seen her do, he shuddered. He had sought her out after his daughter went missing and the nature of her disappearance became clear to him. Upon gathering as much information as he could from any and every source available to him he had heard her name mentioned more than once, and decided to find her.

She opened his eyes to what he was really dealing with. She too had stumbled across the truth because of loss and her determination for retribution had made her the most lethal person he had ever met, even more impressive upon considering that she was a woman. She was his hunter, and she would help him bring Mina home… or lay her to rest.

"I know you are entirely capable Phaedra, but are close to the source, I can feel it. We can only benefit from more protection at this point. I do this for you as well, I have no desire to see you dead." He said.

Phaedra frowned as she stowed her knives away in the belt around the top of her trousers "I can take care of myself." She said. Sir Malcolm smiled sadly at her. She was not at all like a woman was supposed to be. She never wore dresses unless Sir Malcolm asked her to, and even then she did it with a distinct distaste for the garments, preferring trousers. She often gained attention in the streets from the way she dressed, always in shirts and trousers, but she cared little. She had been made hard by years of grief and the loss of her entire family as a child, but it also amazed him that she was still able to smile and laugh, though sometimes he suspected her true face remained hidden.

They weren't alone for long as a moment later Vanessa arrived with the sharp shooter she had found.

She and Sir Malcolm moved forward to meet them, Phaedra watched him analytically "This is the individual?" Sir Malcom asked.

"Yes." came Vanessa's reply.

"Do you have your weapons?" He pulled his coat back to reveal the holster on his hip. Phaedra wasn't surprised; men were always carrying guns. She had little love for guns, they were fools weapons, loud and unsophisticated, any fool could kill a man with a gun, but knives were different. To truly wield a knife one needed skill, finesse, it was a fine art she had perfected.

As they turned to continue downstairs the new arrival hesitated "One minute." He said. American, Phaedra was mildly surprised. "What're we doing here?"

"We're looking for someone." Sir Malcolm told him "More than that you don't need to know. Do not be amazing at anything you see and don't hesitate."

Phaedra could sense the confusion of the man behind them as they stepped through the doorway into the cellar, walking towards the three creatures waiting for them. Her urge to kill was strong and she placed a hand lightly on the hilt of one of her knives.

Stopping in front of the creature closest to them Sir Malcolm stated "That which you serve we seek." The creature began to talk quickly in Arabic, and Phaedra and Vanessa shared glances. As Sir Malcolm responded the other two moved, beginning to circle the small group, and as she slowly slid a knife out and held it, Phaedra noticed the American removing his gloves and glancing sideways.

Then the talking ended and the familiar started to move away, then turned back. All three attacked at once and Phaedra, the American and Sir Malcolm flew into action. Phaedra threw an expertly placed knife which embedded itself in the gut of the creature nearest to her and already had her second knife in hand by the time it had pulled her first out and had thrown it to the ground. Whilst it was distracted she swooped in low and buried the second knife in the same place the first had hit, this time keeping hold of the hilt and slicing upwards, putting all her strength into it as she did, tearing the beast open from stomach to throat. As it whined and groaned she picked up her second knife, watching it fall to the floor in a lifeless heap.

Around her were the scuffled sounds of fighting and gunshots, but in the distance she could hear wailing. Turning around she brought a foot up and kicked another of the creatures back, more now had joined the fight and they were outnumbered but holding their own. The one before her stumbled back then hissed furiously at her, lunging, claws out ready for the kill. Phaedra swung upwards and thrust her knife through its throat, slamming the other through the front of its skull just a second later.

Another dead, she turned to take in the scene. Six in total were dead, the American was panting, his eyes wide with confusion. Sir Malcolm was also on his feet, as calm as ever. As she stood facing him Phaedra saw one still alive and rising behind him. She reached for a knife but before she could lay a hand on one he had turned and buried a bullet in its skull.

Vanessa was gone, chasing the voices. As Sir Malcolm followed her, the American turned to Phaedra "What the hell is this place?" he gasped.

She smirked "Somewhere far from home." She said.

…

Sir Malcolm screamed in frustration.

They had not found her, they were wrong. They had thought there was only one master, but they had found him and killed him, and yet there was no sign of Mina.

"I told you this was big" Phaedra said, trying to bring Sir Malcolm back around. He was standing with his hands on the wall in front of him, his head hanging in grief, panting hard "Look at that thing! This is bigger than anything I've ever dealt with before Sir Malcolm, we found the master and she's not here!"

"She was here, I know it" He insisted. He stood straight and turned to look at his companions "There must be another master, if she is not here there must be another, this is bigger than we first anticipated." He said.

In the room below they had found a scene of utter carnage. Dozens of bodies had been piled up, all of them torn apart, and the floor and walls were more blood than anything else. There had been others in there, all women, all blonde and not one of them Sir Malcolm's lost daughter. They had traced all evidence of the master back to that building and had found him nesting in a pile of the dead. Sir Malcolm had easily dispatched with it, but the lack of Mina meant their goal was further away than they first believed.

"It would see this is just another step we must take, clearly our journey here is not at an end." Vanessa said.

"No." Sir Malcolm said "It would appear not. Come, we must have this body looked at immediately."

(I know reading scenes you've already seen is boring, but bear with me, it won't be for long.)


	2. Chapter 2

Phaedra stared down at the body, both amazed and horrified. She had known of these creatures for many years and had hunted then almost as long, but never before had she seen anything like this. This was something more than the hundreds of regular familiars she had killed, England was full of those she knew, she had hunted them in every region of the country, and every time she always found the same thing. But this was not like those. Several years had passes since she first heard of the 'masters' the older race that brought this infection to thousands, but this was the first time she had seen one

They looked unlike the others, more demonic. Its skin was thick and grey and both its hands and feet were clawed. What was under its skin however had been the most interesting. They had taken the body to what Sir Malcolm called 'the resurrection men' and had a young Doctor look at it.

He had at first been uninterested, but they were persistent.

_"Sir, I am in urgent need of necropsy, will you assist us?" Sir Malcolm asked the young man, growing impatient with his arrogant refusals. He was currently studying a half dissected arm and showed very little interest in what these four strangers considered urgent. _

_He sighed in frustration before answering "I am occupied solely in research. I will not bore myself with explanations you could not possibly understand. Now, kindly, stop wasting my time and get out!" he insisted. Phaedra had had enough of his disrespect, she was in no mood to be refused by an arrogant young Doctor and so she strode forward and seized him, one hand on the back of his neck and the other on his wrist, twisting the scalpel out of his hand. _

_She pulled him up onto his feet and turned him around as he opened his mouth to protest "What do you think you are doing you vile woman?! Unhand me-" he fell silent as he was turned and she thrust him forward over the body Vanessa had uncovered. _

_"My God…" He whispered in shock, his anger forgotten as Phaedra let go on him and he bent forward over the body. Instantly, the scientist in him went to work and he began to examine the body "Lividity, null. Rigor Mortis, null. Notable ocular hyperemia. Ocular reaction, null. Dental malformation, not naturally occurring due to the isotropy. Nature's rarely so neat. Nature abhors symmetry. Trauma and penetration of the chest cavity through the manubrium seems the likely cause of death, but I expect you know that." He went on examining, unable to determine the age of the creature, but now animated in his amazement at being presented with such a specimen. _

_He began to examine the usual skin as Phaedra handed him tools when he asked for them, his earlier insult to her forgotten by both parties as he discovered that the creature possessed skin more akin to an exoskeleton, unlike anything he had seen before on a human body. He pulled the skin of the chest back and found underneath nothing any of them had ever seen or could explain. There chest was covered in-_

_"Hieroglyphics." Sir Malcolm said._

_"Egyptian?" The doctor asked._

_"Undoubtedly." Was the reply. Vanessa and Phaedra both looked at Sir Malcolm, exceedingly disturbed. _

_"Well, it would appear you have an Egyptian man of no particular age, who at some point in his indeterminate lifespan, decided to sharpen his teeth, cover himself in hieroglyphics and grow an exoskeleton. Or you have something else altogether." The young doctor said, his gaze shifting from Sir Malcolm, to Vanessa and on to Phaedra, who were all almost as perplexed as he was. _

Phaedra examined the body with a look of disgust on her face. The creature was as alarming as it was educational. Having one in front of them helped them to understand what they were up against and what they were searching for. Sir Malcolm had photographed the hieroglyphics and intended to have them translating, hoping that would help them towards finding Mina.

"I do not like this" Phaedra said, scowling a she bent to examine the hieroglyphics "I have hunted these things for almost ten years Sir Malcolm, and never encountered anything like this, so why now? And why so easily?" she pondered.

She looked at Sir Malcolm, the man who had sought her out just three months previously. He'd come to her seeking help and advice and in the end offered her employment. He had hired her to help him find his lost daughter Mina, whom he believed had been taken by a creature like the one he had slain.

He sighed deeply and shook his head "I do not know… I suspect but… I need more time…" Phaedra didn't question his ambiguity, she had learnt it was best not to push him when his thoughts were scattered in this way, it would do no good anyway, he rarely revealed anything until he was sure. He stood silent and brooding for a few moments, before turning back to the young woman "What do you make of young Doctor Frankenstein?" he asked her.

Phaedra shrugged "I like him enough, though he's clearly arrogant. Most importantly he was unafraid. We brought him something he has certainly never seen before and could scarcely imagine in his worst nightmares, yet still the scientist in him became animated with a childlike wonder that could prove useful for us" she said "Though I must warn you, if he dares to call me vile ever again I will not hesitate to break his nose." She added as an afterthought.

Sir Malcolm couldn't help but laugh, he had become affectionate towards the girl in the short time they had spent together. He enjoyed her company; she was an intellectual woman who enjoyed debate with him. He also liked that she was like no other woman he had ever met, she was her own person and proud of that fact. He was also in no doubt that she really _would_ break the young doctor's nose should he insult her again.

"I have sent Sembene to visit our doctor friend this evening to request his presence at the club tomorrow; I would like you to accompany me when I speak with him." Sir Malcolm said.

Phaedra frowned "Why?"

"I believe if he proves uninterested that you may be able to persuade him to join with us." He said "I'll send you in the carriage tomorrow to pick him up, make him comfortable on the journey, be kind." He said.

She frowned again "Why me?" she asked, but Sir Malcolm only smiled; she did not see her own beauty. She was a beauty; she had porcelain skin, long jet black hair and stunning bright green eyes.

"What of the American?" she asked, realising her last question was going to remain unanswered.

"He is clearly an excellent shot; he may have saved our lives tonight." He said.

Phaedra scoffed and shook her head "There was no danger Sir Malcolm, I could've handled that alone." She assured him "But.. I do not deny his skill, only his motivations."

"Oh?"

"We're all here for reasons close to our hearts, we are invested in this emotionally, and it means something to us, something more than just employment, like it is for him. He has no reason to stay, no attachment to this other than the allure of payment. We Sir Malcolm can rely on each other because we both know how important this is to the other, but how important is it to him? How much can we rely on him when things get worse? Which they undoubtedly will, tonight's events have assured me of that, we have not seen the worst of this tale yet, but how can you be sure when the true horror is revealed to us that your new American friend will not flee at his earliest convenience?" she asked.

"Because I have faith my dear child, Mr Chandler will not abandon us."

"Perhaps not yet, not whilst its new and exciting and the insatiable thirst to know more of this newly discovered world takes hold of him but later maybe.. when he knows too much and the reality of what he has seen begins to resonate with him and the horror of truth is so crushing it's all he can do to keep his head above the water and gasp for air in a desperate attempt to keep from drowning, then… then he will turn and run and take whatever money he has earned from your grief and he will run as fast and as far as he can and he will bury his memories deep and pretend this circus of nightmares never haunted him and we will become faces he sees only in his dreams. We cannot rely on him Sir Malcolm, this grotesque dance we engage in is too terrible for man attached only by money."

"But you trust Doctor Frankenstein and not the American?" Sir Malcolm asked.

She nodded with absolute certainty "The Doctor is examining a body for us, not watching our backs."

Sir Malcolm exhaled slowly and placed a hand on her shoulder "I pray you are wrong child, I pray Mr Chandler may yet prove of more worth than you believe."


	3. Chapter 3

Phaedra waited patiently outside the doctor's home. Today was one of the rare occasions she found herself in a dress, much to her dislike. Sir Malcolm had requested her help with persuading the doctor, but she knew if she turned up at the explorers club in trousers she would be refused entry. It had taken Sir Malcolm weeks to convince the others to even allow a woman in; she wouldn't make it any worse by insulting them further by wearing trousers.

She wasn't left waiting long, as a few minutes after they arrived the door opened and Doctor Frankenstein emerged wearing the suit Sir Malcolm had sent for him. He looked exceedingly handsome.

"Doctor Frankenstein." She said in greeting as he approached, nodding.

He smiled briefly and took the hand she offered and gently kissed the back of it, though she would've preferred him to shake it "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't recall your name." he admitted with a shade of shame. He was slightly startled, seeing her now in the daylight he was noticing how young she was, as young as him and he was almost certain he was at least a year or two her senior.

Phaedra smiled and shook her head "No need for apologies Doctor, I never gave it to you. Phaedra Clerval." She said.

He nodded "A pleasure." He said.

"I'm sure." She bit back a smirk, amused by the expected pleasantries though she had not forgotten his insult the night previously. She turned as the driver held the door of the carriage open and Frankenstein offered her his hand as she climbed in. As he sat beside her he turned to regard her. She was young and very beautiful though perhaps in not a conventional way. She was looking lovely in a deep green corseted dress than complimented her skin tone and eyes, but he could tell by the way she shifted so often that she was uncomfortable. He found that hardly surprising as she had been wearing trousers in their previous encounter and clearly found them more comfortable. Just watching her he found her intriguing and could tell she was a far cry from the stereotypical women he saw daily about London.

"That body.." He said after a moment, breaking the silence and bringing her attention back to him "It wasn't entirely human, was it?" he asked, annoyingly aware of how unsure he sounded.

Phaedra shook her head "No Doctor, not exactly, though what it _is _I cannot be certain of, but we shall discuss this with Sir Malcolm when we arrive. Do tell me Doctor, what kind of research exactly is it you are currently engaged in?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

He half smiled "I would explain Miss Clerval, but I couldn't possibly expect you to understand."

"No? And why is that? Because I am a woman?" she asked bluntly.

Victor flushed red and blinked at her, taken aback by how up front she was "No.. no of course not, I meant no offence my lady, I only meant that it has taken many years of dedicated research and practice and yet I still do not fully understand everything I am researching, to explain it to someone like yourself who has no previous knowledge of the matter would take many hours I'm afraid we do not have." He explained.

"Perhaps another time Doctor." She said.

He smiled and nodded "Perhaps." He had never considered sharing his work or research with anyone else before, the consequences would be dire, he could never share with anyone what he was working on, what he had already done. But, he had to admit to himself, the thought of teaching the beginnings of science to Phaedra was not entirely repulsive to him.

"How is it, if you do not mind my asking, that you have come to find yourself in this line of work?" he asked, looking at her curiously "I mean, you are so young and beautiful, surely you should be out with friends enjoying some theatre or planning the wedding to the man of your dreams. Forgive me my lady but it is not often one meets a young woman out in London in the dead of night carrying knives and travelling with a mysteriously inhuman dead body." He said.

Phaedra laughed softly and leaned forward to pat his hands, which were clasped together in his lap, affectionately. He tensed and felt a rush of goose bumps scurry up his arm, the warmth of her soft flesh was not a sensation he was accustomed to "Oh Doctor Frankenstein, for a man of intelligence you certainly have some archaic ideas about the roles of women. This is a new world doctor, a new world I was violently and unexpectedly thrust into. I did once long for those things, as a child I fantasized about my later life as wife to a handsome and honourable man, I wanted to be a mother and a wife and have a beautiful home, but those were childish fantasies and when I was awakened to the horrors the world really holds I knew I would never have those things. There are more important happenings in the world Doctor than the making of wives and mothers, and they are what I desire to be invested in." she told him.

Frankenstein nodded and just looked at her. She was an enigma, like nothing he had ever met before and yet something about her felt familiar to him. She had known grief and despair as he had and he was filled with a desire to know more about it, he wanted to know her story, he wanted to know what could turn a creature so beautiful away from the life she wanted and undoubtedly deserved and push her down this pathway of death and nightmares.

Their conversation ended there as they had now arrived at the explorers club. As the carriage lulled to a stop the driver came around and opened the door. Victor stopped once he was out and turned to offer his hand to Phaedra, who took it, clearly he had been raised a gentleman.

Once inside Phaedra led him through to the room where Sir Malcolm was waiting for them. He stood as they approached and shook Frankenstein's hand and kissed Phaedra gently on one cheek as she took a seat beside him.

"Sir Malcolm." Victor said.

"Doctor" Was the reply "So you're the explorer."

Sir Malcolm smiled modestly "I've made one or two modest discoveries. There is a Murray mountain in the eastern regions of the Belgian Congo if you're ever in the vicinity. Not the tallest mountain to be sure, but not the smallest either." The Doctor smiled, feigning interest. "I've spent most of my life in Africa, beholding wonders."

The Doctor still showed little interest and moved quickly on "I was surprised to get your note. You seem a man who holds his secrets fast, I wasn't going to come."

"But you couldn't resist." Sir Malcolm stated.

The Doctor smiled fleetingly "When I saw Miss Clerval waiting outside my building I realised I had little choice."

"I think in truth Doctor, your curiosity made the decision for you. When you see a river you must follow it to its source, no matter the perils, no matter those comrades that fall along the way." It was clear by now the Doctor was interested, but he glanced for just a second at Phaedra, trying to read her expression and feelings on this situation "You must know how things work. You must unlock. You are dissatisfied always." Sir Malcolm said.

"Are you dissatisfied?" The Doctor asked, challengingly.

"We are seeking." Phaedra answered for him.

"What?" Frankenstein asked, looking at her with intense eyes, keeping eye contact as long as he dared, not afraid to stare her down as his own piercing blue eyes duelled with hers bright green as he began to realise she was not easily intimidated by men.

"Perhaps the same as you." Sir Malcolm said. Frankenstein looked back at him, breaking the intensity of the gaze he had been sharing with the young woman.

Frankenstein shook his head will utter certainty "Mm, I seek the truth."

"Ah, you're a very young man. I've long since learned that truth is mutable."

"Perhaps we view science differently" Frankenstein started, it was clear from his voice and his manner that he was assured of his own correctness and nothing Sir Malcolm or Phaedra could say would sway him on that, he was full of self-assured arrogance "I would never chart a river or scale a peak to take its measure or plant a flag. There's no point. It's solipsistic self-aggrandizement. So too those scientists who study the planets seeking astronomical enlightenment for its own sake. The botanists studying the variegation of an Amazonian fern. The zoologist caught up in the endless fascination of an adder's coils. And for what? Knowledge for itself alone? The elation of discovery?" his voice was thick was sarcasm and mocking, but Sir Malcolm and Phaedra listened carefully, taking in the measure of this man and his worth to them. "Plant your flag on the truth? There is only one worthy goal for scientific exploration… piercing the tissue that separates life from death." Phaedra smirked triumphantly, they had found their man. "Everything else from the deep bottom of the sea to the top of the highest mountain of the farthest planet, is insignificant. Life and death, Sir Malcolm, Miss Clerval. The flicker that separates one from the other" he was animated now, his passion and excitement oozing out of him "fast as a bats wing, more beautiful than any sonnet. That is my river. That is my mountain. There I will plant my flag."

"You have the soul of a poet sir." Phaedra noted.

"And the bank account to match." The Doctor replied "Now, why did you want to see me Sir Malcolm?"

"You tell me" The older man said.

"Last night of course. The body you brought was not, strictly speaking, human." He said, sparring Phaedra the most fleeting of glances.

"No." Sir Malcolm said.

"Did you kill him?"

"Yes."

"Are there more?"

"At least one"

"And what is your goal?"

"To find a cure for a most rare disease." Sir Malcolm said, once again sparking the Doctor's interest.

…

Sir Malcolm and Phaedra sat for a long time after the Doctor had left them. Their discussion had not gone as smoothly as Sir Malcolm would've liked but he was confident he had persuaded the young anatomist to join them. He had not given in easily though, he had challenged Sir Malcolm's motives and even showed little interested in the offer of payment, he only relented when the truth had been presented to him and one question had been answered.

_"Why me?" he asked._

_"Because you were not afraid to peel back the skin and look beneath." Phaedra had answered, locking her eyes onto his once again as she did._

"Do you believe him capable?" Phaedra asked Sir Malcolm after taking a long drink of whiskey from her glass; she shuddered as the warmth trickled down her body.

"As capable as any man within his trade. What interests me most is his willingness to explore the unknown and his acceptance of the seemingly impossible." Phaedra nodded. He was right; Frankenstein had not at all been fazed by the nature of their story or mention of the supernatural.

"I want you to watch him Phaedra, follow him." Sir Malcolm said suddenly.

She turned to regard him curiously "Why?" she asked.

"Because he's hiding something and I want to know what."


	4. Chapter 4

Phaedra was alone when she found Vanessa with her tarot cards.

They had had an interesting morning so far. Earlier Doctor Frankenstein had come to examine the corpse of the creature which had been stripped of its flesh my carrion beetles. He had been unusually jovial upon arrival, an unexpected mood be put down to the caprices of science. Phaedra and Sir Malcolm had received the Doctor alone, leaving Vanessa to her letter writing. Phaedra had been taking not of the older woman's letter writing for as long as she had been there. She noticed she would spend hours at her desk pouring her soul into lengthy letters, only to seal it once finished and lock it away with a thousand others.

The Doctor had been once again taken aback by the creature, lying dead, stripped of flesh and completely covered in ancient scribing's. As he'd drawn blood from the creature he told Sir Malcolm what little he knew of the ancient Egyptian religions and their quest for eternal life. Whilst he was working, Phaedra noticed in his bag books she recognised from her childhood.

_"Romantic poetry Doctor?" she inquired, surprised at this. _

_"Man does not live only in the empirical world. We must seek the ephemeral, or why live?" as he spoke he looked up and found her bright eyes with his own. He felt his breath catch in his chest and his heartbeat quickened a pace. Her eyes frightened him and he was ashamed and afraid to admit even to himself why. _

_She smiled an unusually sweet smile and began to recite as he was bent back over the body "If this belief from heaven be sent, if such be nature's holy plan…"_

_"..Have I not reason to lament." Frankenstein continued, slowly standing and turning to look at her again, almost falling into the forest of her eyes._

_"What man has made of man." They finished together. _

After he confirmed the blood was for all scientific purposes human the Doctor left, asking to be informed of anything pertinent in the hieroglyphics and sharing another gaze with Phaedra before he did. He had declined to consult with a haematologist on Sir Malcolm's behalf, but he had been insistent. After he had left Sir Malcolm once again asked Phaedra to follow the Doctor.

As she walked into the drawing room Phaedra found Vanessa sitting alone with her tarot cards laid out in front of her as she often did. Phaedra and Vanessa were not close. Phaedra felt something about Vanessa unsettled her and she wanted to know what. She was more involved in this that Phaedra could tell, yet she hadn't figured out how yet.

She felt as though she was in the middle of a game with Sir Malcolm, both of them keeping their cards close to their chests, shielding from the other. She knew more than she had told Sir Malcolm and ever planned to tell him. She knew what they were hunting, she knew their nature and their name, and yet she had told him neither and had feigned ignorance. She could help him find his daughter without revealing all to him, for his own sake. She was entirely sure she could trust him yet, though she was beginning to feel as though she could. But he was hiding something from her, keeping what she suspected were vital details from her, keeping some secret about Vanessa, the very strange woman Phaedra definitely didn't trust or like.

"Phaedra" Vanessa said as she heard the younger woman's soft footsteps behind her "Would you indulge me?" she asked.

Phaedra eyes her warily, but nodded anyway, standing beside her at the table. Vanessa took her hand and held it palm down, then slowly began to move her hand, hovering it an inch over the cards, taking her time, giving her hand a second to linger over each card "Close your eyes" Vanessa said, and she did. They stood in silence for over a minute while Vanessa moved Phaedra's hand over the cards. She didn't believe much in this spiritualism but Vanessa was deeply invested in it and at the request of Sir Malcolm Phaedra had agreed to not to antagonise her and would indulge her in such things.

However as the room quietened around them, silent save for their breathing Phaedra let her mind relax and wander, and eventually she started to feel something. She couldn't tell or even describe what it was, but her body was tingling and her mind buzzing and after what she couldn't tell had been a second or an hour her fingers twitched, and Vanessa halted.

Both women opened their eyes and looked at the card her hand was hovering over. Vanessa let go of her hand and picked up the card, turning it over. On it was a woman sitting in a bed with her face covered and nine knives above her "the nine of swords" Vanessa said, looking up at Phaedra, the smallest hint of a smirk lingering on her lips "generally meaning depression, anxiety, nightmares and despair." She added as their eyes met.

Phaedra frowned and shook her head, then turned to leave "Leave your mocking to the boys Vanessa; they're more susceptible to it." She said.

…

"WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?!" Phaedra slammed her hands onto the table, shaking with fury. She had to fight every urge in her body not to put a knife into Sir Malcolm's heart as he stood looking at her, dripping with rain and apathetic as usual.

"Nothing!" he insisted, holding his hands up to prove his innocence "I have told you everything I know; tonight was as unexpected for me as it was for you."

Sir Malcolm had returned from a part at the home of Ferdinand Lyle, an expert on Egyptology who was translating the hieroglyphics for them. During the party the guests had taken part in a séance and Sir Malcolm had described how spirits had possessed Vanessa and taunted him. Phaedra was furious, she had declined the offer to attend with them as she had no patience for these sorts of affairs, but now she was beginning to regret that decision.

"I told you…" Phaedra said as she began to pace back and forth across the room, still shaking "I told you there was something about her Sir Malcolm, something unnatural and you wouldn't listen and now look… something _evil_ got inside her and taunted you! And if it was as easy as you tell it to be then I fear for us all." She said. She stopped and turned to look at him, trying to read him. There _was _something wrong about Vanessa and Phaedra knew he knew and had yet to admit to her what it was. "Unless…" she said, after catching the faintest flicker of doubt in his eye "It is only Vanessa who need fear, and not yet all of us." She said.

"I've had enough of these games and secrets Sir Malcolm, I have told you everything I know of these monsters" she lied "and I risk my life daily for your cause, I want to know the truth, all of it… or I leave your employment and the American can defend you alone." She said, finally taking a seat.

Sir Malcolm stood looking at her for a long time, contemplating. He needed her help, he knew that, but he feared to tell her the truth. He had only know her a few short months and she had never proven herself worthy of anything less than complete trust, but he was so used to keeping his secrets that it was hard to divulge to anyone, even Vanessa. But he knew it was getting out of his control faster than he could anticipate or control, and he knew she was smart, she would figure it out then forever resent him for not telling her himself.

Slowly, he crossed the room and pulled a chair to sit opposite her. She looked tired, he knew he asked much of her, perhaps too much for a girl of only 24.

"Vanessa and Mina, as you know, where incredibly close as children" Phaedra nodded and listened in silent "They were closer than sisters and I also considered Vanessa family, but as you know they fall apart after Vanessa broke Mina's trust in the most despicable way. I know little of what happened to Vanessa afterwards from first had experience but I have discussed it at length with her. It seems a terrible evil befell Vanessa in her loneliness and her mind slipped deeper and deeper into despair. She fell into hysteria and depression and spent some time in an institution, but against all hope of those that loved her she began to recover, though she was greatly changed" Sir Malcolm stopped for a moment to compose himself, the memories of what he and his family had gone through were hard for him to recall "She came to me after the death of her mother. The day her mother was lay to rest Vanessa had walked along the beach when she said Mina came to her and professed forgiveness for what Vanessa had done to her. She told Vanessa of the danger she was in, begged for her help and then just… disappeared" Sir Malcolm sighed deeply and his eyes clouded over with the memory of his lost daughter.

"And you believed her?" Phaedra asked, her anger now gone and replaced with intrigue.

Sir Malcolm nodded "I had no reason to doubt her. She recounted details of Mina's life to me that she couldn't have possibly known. I knew she spoke the truth."

"How? How did Mina come to her?"

Sir Malcolm stood and walked towards the fire place, then leant on the mantelpiece, admiring a picture of Mina as he spoke "During her deepest, darkest moments I believe something burrowed itself within Vanessa, it burrowed itself so deep I fear it has become a part of her and now binds her to this world of horrors we have uncovered. She hovers I believe, in some way at least, between the two worlds as a messenger, able to bring word from one side to the other." He said.

Phaedra said nothing, this was grave news. She had heard nothing of this type before, and she had no idea how it could affect them. Perhaps this would benefit them, an extra gift then could use. Or perhaps this could make Vanessa a beacon, attracting all kinds of ungodly creatures to them. Phaedra wasn't sure she wanted to find out which it was.

Eventually she nodded and got to her feet "Thank you Sir Malcolm." She said, before retiring from the room.


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you sure?" Sir Malcolm asked as Phaedra tucked her knives away safely under the back of her shirt, making sure they were completely hidden. She was dressed almost all in black tonight. Black shirt, black trousers and boots, but with a deep purple corset tied tight around her waist, pulling in her ribs and pushing her bust up.

"Certain." She said, pulling a short coat on "I have no desire to see the zoo after closing, though you may be able to pet the animals" she joked, smiling at Sir Malcolm, who smiled back. Even in the middle of all this Phaedra could still find time to jest.

"What will you do?" Ethan asked. He and Phaedra had spoken very little since they had first met, she knew he could tell she thought his presence was unnecessary and she suspected he was trying to prove her otherwise.

"I'll be following our good friend Doctor Frankenstein." She said, pulling her hair up and tying it into a bun on the crown of her head, letting some loose pieces fall to frame her face.

Vanessa turned to her, alarmed. She had no previously knowledge of this and she certainly didn't appreciate being kept out of the loop "Why?" she asked, turning to Sir Malcolm and directing the same question at him. Phaedra said nothing, she buttoned up her coat and left, leaving Sir Malcolm to deal with Vanessa's bruised ego. Once outside Phaedra decided to walk. She didn't want to take the carriage, in fact she didn't like the carriage, it was big and well-made and attracted far too much attention because of that. In the carriage eyes were always on her, whereas when she was on foot with her hood up and her face hidden she was just another Londoner going about her business alone. She found it easier to go with her face hidden, as women in trousers were rarer than expensive carriages.

She walked for half an hour until she came to the area she knew Frankenstein lived in. She had of course been here before, picking up for his dinner with Sir Malcolm, but also more recently, a few nights earlier when she had walked their again, finding the best place for her to observe his home from. She had observed him for two days and found he used the back door more often than the front, and so she stepped back into the shadows of the alley behind his home and waited.

She waited patiently for a long time, maybe three hours, before he emerged. Over the years she had spent learning to hunt she had gained great patience, a trait she did not previously possess. Eventually the back door opened and the doctor stepped out, and he was not alone. He was with a man Phaedra didn't recognise, and would've if she had ever seen him before, so distinctive was his face. He was taller than Frankenstein and broader, but with skin as white as snow and black lips. His hair long, limp and black as night and on the side of his head was a huge, grotesque scar that was creepy slowly onto his face.

As they stepped out they started to walk, and Phaedra followed. They walked only a short distance before stopping. Phaedra kept a safe distance and couldn't hear what words were spoken, but she watched every move that was made. Victor was uncomfortable, afraid maybe, and she could tell he was deeply upset. This unexpected mood in him changed hers also, sharpening her senses and leaving her alert and ready to move should the situation turn violent. He may be arrogant but the Doctor was useful to her, and she found him interesting to say the least.

But he remained unharmed, he and the strange, frightening man talked for only a few minutes until Victor walked away, towards her though he was still unaware she had followed him. As he drew closer she could see he was visibly shaken, his skin was clammy and his eyes wide and fearful, she wondered what events had transpired for him that evening.

As he walked closer she stepped out of the shadows in front of him "Troubling evening Doctor?" she asked. Frankenstein stopped, startled by her unexpected appearance. Then an even more unexpected anger took over him and he gripped her tightly around the arm and pulled her into a nearby empty alleyway.

"Why are you following me?" he demanded, pushing her up against a wall and holding her there by her shoulders.

"I was watching you" she admitted, letting him pin her against the wall "You may not like that but you know if that man you were just with that attacked you then you would've been glad of my presence"

He tightened his grip on her and stepped closer her, his face only inches from hers and his eyes filled with rage, he had been through the most traumatic of nights and was not in the mood to be taunted by a woman "I am not a child Miss Clerval; I can take care of myself. My business is no business of yours and you have no right to follow me, we are not friends, not colleagues, nothing. If I find you are following me again I will be forced to act." He threatened, his eyes uncharacteristically menace.

Phaedra had had enough of his attitude. In a second she had slipped out of his grip, propelled him across the alleyway and now had him pinned against the wall with one arm across his neck and the other holding one knife, the point against the soft flesh of his throat.

"_Don't _even for a second consider that you had me held against that wall for any other reason than I let you Frankenstein. Do not presume to threaten me, I will not hesitate to skin your pretty little face right off your head if you try. I am no mere woman Doctor and I will not suffer the anger and arrogance of men" she said. If he thought he had been angry then the level of anger he saw in her eyes eclipsed his own ten times over. Her green eyes were wider and wilder than he had ever seen them and he was in no doubt she would use that knife on him should he provoke her.

She let go of him and stepped back. He stumbled forwards clutching his neck and gasping for air. He was bent double and Phaedra reached out to take hold of one of his arms, holding him around the forearm as he composed himself.

"I am not your enemy Frankenstein." She said "You saw the creature we brought to you; you know it was not human. We hunt those things and we are all targets for him them now, and you … why you are the weakest link. I am here for your protection Doctor, nothing else."

"I am sorry" he said quietly as he straightened himself. As he did his hand slid down her arm from where it had been clutching at her elbow, their hands brushing over each other. When their fingers touched he felt a strange warmth rush through him and he pulled his hand away from her "I did not mean to offend you my lady" he said, his breathing now much calmer "You startled me is all."

Phaedra nodded and stowed her knife safely away again "Know your friends Doctor, whether you deny us or not. You need us, just as we need you, as it seems ours are not the only monsters haunting you."

He shook his head and smiled a grim sort of smile "I have troubles you could not imagine Miss Clerval." he said, looking down and avoiding her eye. He leaned back against the wall behind him and took in a deep breath, covering his hands with his face. She did not ask what the cause of his troubles were, she had enough worries of her own without burdening herself with his too.

"I think you would be surprised what I could imagine" she said, making him look up at her. Her eyes were no longer wild and he began to feel calmer as he looked into them, there was something comforting about having her there with him. He knew she could protect him so of course there was that. But perhaps it was something else. Perhaps it was her knowledge of things unnatural that comforted him. He himself had created something unnatural and now the first horror he had created had come back to him and he felt utterly alone in his fear and despair, but looking at her, she who had seen true evil and still stood calm and composed over him, well, maybe she would understand, maybe having her there meant he didn't have to be alone.

"Come" she said quietly, ushering him to the mouth of the alleyway "I think it is time you returned home, I'll walk with you." They walked in silence, Phaedra contemplative and the Doctor brooding as he observed her. She was endlessly intriguing to him and he found the list of questions he had about her grew every time he saw her.

As they approached his home they were greeted with the sight of Sir Malcolm's carriage awaiting them. Sembene was stood on the doorstep waiting for them "Sir Malcolm needs you." he said.

"Who?" They asked in unison.

"Both of you."


	6. Chapter 6

Victor rode in silence. Phaedra and Sembene were up front with the driver, he could see them talking in hurried, hushed tones. He could tell from her body language that Phaedra was not happy, she was shaking her head and massaging her temples as they spoke, finding it hard to keep still in her frustration and more than once he caught the end of a raise, unhappy shout, hastily followed by Sembene trying to calm her.

When they finally arrived at Sir Malcolm's house Phaedra had stood and jumped deftly down from the carriage before the horse had even brought to a halt. When the carriage came to a stop she was already waiting at the door and pulled it open impatiently "With me Doctor" she said sharply, without even a courtesy glance. He was slightly alarmed by this new behaviour, unusual though she may be she always at least looked him in the eye when they spoke, but now she was utterly distracted.

Victor hurried to keep up with her as she marched towards the house "Is something wrong Miss Clerval?" he asked, almost jogging to keep up with her. Before leaving he had gone back home to gather his bag of tools, though he wasn't sure what could possibly need them so urgently, it wasn't as though the dead body they had was going anywhere fast.

"Sir Malcolm and the others visiting the Zoo tonight Doctor. You see the creature we have and those like it tend to often feed on small animals, I told Sir Malcolm to hunt in places they themselves were likely to go hunting for food which led them to London Zoo, where Sembene informs me they have taken one alive." She said, without stopping or looking at him. They were inside now and Phaedra was leading him through to the back of the house.

"_Alive?!" _Victor's voice shook with wonderment "Is it like the one you brought to me?" he asked.

Phaedra shook her head as she stopped to remove her coat, throwing it over a wooden chair. Victor swallowed hard, the buttons at the top of her shirt were open and the corset she wore had pushed her breasts up and was holding them in place. He couldn't help but look, ashamed as that may make him. The site of her chest was making his heart race and he found himself wanting to touch her skin as his eyes followed the porcelain white trail up her chest to her slender neck, tracing one pale blue vein. After a moment he pulled himself together and looked up at her eyes; she was looking at him curiously, a smirk playing on the edges of her mouth. He frowned, he was a man of science, and he was not troubled by the carnal desires of man. Yet… she was stirring that in him.

"No Victor" she said, calling him by his first name for the first time since they had met "Not like that one, this one is a lesser beast, a mere familiar." She said. He nodded and said nothing, feeling uncomfortable under her chilling gaze, looking into her eyes wasn't any easier than looking at her naked skin "This way" she said.

He followed her to the kitchen at the back of the house and then down a set of stairs. At the bottom was a long, dimly lit cellar. Down the other end a small, pitiful creature was chained to the wall wailing, as they were descending the stairs Sir Malcolm had been whipping it, but now Ethan had hold of the older man's raised fist whilst Vanessa looked on.

"Oh" Frankenstein said, breaking the tension "We're late to the party."

…

Back upstairs, they discussed what to do with the creature. It had once been human, they all knew and had only been young upon its becoming inhuman, a fact which rested uneasily with Ethan.

"He's the first real connection to Mina we have, it's an invaluable opportunity we cannot afford to waste." Sir Malcolm said.

"Even if it means beating him to death?" Ethan asked.

"Suddenly sentimental about bloodletting Mr Chandler?" Sir Malcolm countered.

"Maybe I don't take to torturing children."

"Killing red skins more your line?" Frankenstein interrupted.

"You know nothing about it." Ethan said.

"Whole Indian nations pacified into nonexistence, what don't I know?" Frankenstein asked sardonically.

"How do you know I was in the Indian wars?" Ethan asked.

"I didn't" Came Victors poignant reply, accompanied by a smug look.

"Gentlemen please" Phaedra cut in, standing between them. Victor turned and walked away to the other side of the room "It matters little any way, I have caught a thousand of these parasites, they talk in riddles wrapped in mystery wrapped in lies, he will be of little help." She sighed sadly. She was tired, very tired and had little patience of their childish bickering.

Sir Malcolm turned to Frankenstein now their dispute had ended "Doctor?" he asked.

"As a subject he's promising" he began, the cogs and gears of his scientifically wired mind kicking into action "if you seek a cure, you'll need a subject for experimentation."

"A cure for what?" Vanessa asked. A fleeting look passed between Phaedra and Victor, they both understood that at that moment the two of them knew more about this than anyone else in the room. Her from years of hard gained first-hand knowledge and him from scientific deduction. They knew blood was the key.

"I'll have to make a proper examination, but I would think the disorder is not mental, the physiological symptoms are too marked. I would begin treatment as if it were, say, Dengue fever or one of the other rare blood disorders. Perhaps transfusion."

"To what end?" Phaedra asked, in all her years of hunting she had never thought much about curing the disease. She didn't think it possible, but of course she couldn't be sure.

"Removing the toxins from his system and seeing if there are any improvements. It may be a way to treat your daughter if she is similarly afflicted."

"Ah the whole thing's steeped in blood so why not start there?" Sir Malcolm said grimly.

"Why not?!" Ethan's furious voice cut across the room, the distress on his face was evident "You've got a kid chained up in your basement and you're talking about experimenting on him like he's some kind of rat when you're not talking about torturing him."

"Then leave this house" Vanessa interjected "we here have been brutalized with loss. It has made us brutal in return. There is no going back from this moment."

The room fell silent as six minds contemplated "If we are to proceed, we proceed as one" Sir Malcolm said, ending the silence "Without hesitation… and with fealty to each other alone. This, we seek, demands nothing less. It is not for the weak or the kind. No one in this room is kind. That's why you're here. Now look into each other eyes. And pledge to go as far as your soul will allow. Swear it now."

Sir Malcolm looked around the room at each face as they each nodded their agreement, Vanessa first and then Sembene, Phaedra and Victor. Than finally Ethan, who thought long and hard about it "Give your assent, Mr Chandler. Or leave this company and its mysteries behind."

Finally, after a long uneasy silence he looked at Vanessa and proclaimed "I'm with you."

Afterwards, the group disbanded which much to think about. After each had sworn their assent Vanessa asked something that had been troubling her all evening. Sir Malcolm had told her they were going to the Zoo to look for Mina, though she suspected he never truly believed she would be there, and that he had come to suspect its real prize was not Mina, but Vanessa and that Mina was merely bait. This was a theory he had discussed with Phaedra at length before telling Vanessa.

Sir Malcolm had seen Frankenstein about and informed him that the haematologist he had contacted would come the following day and requested Frankenstein there too, the young doctor agreed. When he and Ethan had left and Vanessa had retired to sleep, Sir Malcolm came looking for Phaedra.

"Phaedra" he said quietly, surprised to see her putting her coat back on, as it was almost 2am "Going out?" he asked.

Phaedra nodded "I need to speak with Mr Chandler, I can help him understand" she said "Did you require something?" she asked.

"Only information" he said "On our friend Doctor Frankenstein if you have any." He said.

"Nothing" she lied "nothing of any note. He stays home, alone as far as I can tell for most the day. He ventures out rarely, buys chestnuts, sometimes sits and sketches, but nothing else. He is seemingly an average and somewhat boring man." She said.

Sir Malcolm made a dissatisfied noise, his brow furrowed in thought "Hmm.. that is… disappointing." He muttered.

"Why?" Phaedra said as she walked around him towards the door "Do you wish to add more complications to the circus of horrors we are already navigating?" she asked then left without waiting for an answer.

She walked to the water front, where she knew Ethan liked to drink. She had followed him too, though only once, and just to find out where he was staying. The American knew little of London and so she assumed he must stick to the places he knew, and so she was not surprised when she found him sitting at the bar of the shabby inn he was staying at with a full bottle of whiskey in one hand and a glass in the other. A few eyes followed her as she crossed the room and sat down in the stool beside him. He looked up at her, surprised to find her next to him "Phaedra… what are you doing here?" he asked as he leaned over the bar, grabbed a glass and filled it, passing it to her.

"Looking for you of course" she said, and then downed the drink in one "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" he asked, filling both their empty glasses again.

"Tonight… do you think we could move somewhere a little more private?" she asked. He looked at her then around the door and nodded. They moved to a table near the front window, where there was no one else close by. She sat facing him, and for a few minutes she just watched him. He was distracted and seemed calmer by the window, watching the late night activity of the harbour. He was young but she noticed lines of worry marring his good looks.

"That boy… chained in the basement, you'd really let them experiment on him and torture him?" he asked.

She drank before she spoke "You need to understand Ethan, that's not a boy anymore" she said.

"But how?" he asked, looking at her with deeply troubled eyes "How can you be sure?"

She sighed deeply and poured herself another drink "I'm sure. I've hunted these creatures for a long, long time. Fenton is just one more in a line of hundreds of those beasts I've seen and they're all the same, all deathly pale and thin and always hungry for blood. Whatever, whoever Fenton was before is gone, and I don't believe it can ever return. They are not to be pitied Ethan though I admire your compassion, they are foul, violent creatures who would tear you apart without a seconds hesitation, trust me." She said. She stopped and drank again.

"How do you know all of this?" he asked, refilling her glass.

She looked down and thought before she spoke, and when she did her voice was quiet and distant "I had a family once. I was only a girl, barely 13 years old. I was happy, I loved my family. My parents were happy and they provided for me and my younger brother Henry, we were very happy Ethan, we have a good life. I loved my brother deeply, I would've done anything for him, I would've torn the world to pieces with my bare hands to keep him safe" she was looking out into the night, her eyes wide without seeing as she spoke, recalling memories she wished she could destroy "It happened one night, in the dead of the night. I heard noises, just quiet ones, the sounds of ripping and chewing and a dripping. I was confused, disorientated and half asleep. I got up and went looking for the source of the noise… it didn't take me long to find it" she paused for a moment to drink and Ethan saw her cheeks streaked with tears that had reddened her eyes "My family had been torn apart… all of them… all in pieces. My mother was unrecognisable, most of her body already devoured, my father too, but my brother… I could still see him, his beautiful face and his wide innocent eyes looking without seeing. As I stood looking at them, frozen and silent with horror and fear I noticed I was not alone. Two of those creatures came slowly out of the shadows, smiling at me as they did. They didn't care that they'd murdered my family, orphaned me and shattered the only world I'd ever known, there was no humanity there, no remorse or guilt, just hate and hunger. I barely got out alive, I will not go into the details of that but please believe me when I tell you Ethan, I have seen hell, and they are the proprietors."

Ethan said nothing, sick with horror. He filled her glass.


	7. Chapter 7

Phaedra and Ethan drank late into the night, and when she finally arrived back home it was as the first rays of sunlight were creeping their way across the horizon. She fell drowsily into bed, burying her face under the pillow in an attempt to keep the day at bay as she slept off the effect of the whiskey.

She had needed to drink, she realised that now. It had been bad enough when she had been hunting alone, but she found ways to cope with it. Then she had only herself to answer to and account for, but now… now she was with Sir Malcolm and this whole situation was beginning to unsettle and alarm her. It was all so complicated and there were so many factors affecting them that she wasn't even sure what their objective was any more.

Vanessa was the target, she was certain of that. The creature believed her to be possessed by Amunet, the ancient Egyptian deity. Whether that was true or not Phaedra wasn't sure, but she was sure that _something _possessed the enigmatic woman. That was something she had never encountered before and had no idea how to deal with, but she knew she had to. She was in too deep to back out now. This possession changed things, it changed everything. They were no longer as safe as she had first believed and she was beginning to find it difficult to sleep with Vanessa in the house now. She had no idea what she was capable of now with this thing inside her, and though she wouldn't hesitate to kill her and the soul within her, Sir Malcolm would not allow it.

She needed to drink, she hadn't slept in three days now and she was sure she looked so drawn out and tired she was beginning to resemble Victor. _Victor _she thought, laughing to herself. The man she had initially disliked and distrusted was becoming to feel like her only ally in this house of liars and masquerades. She would never have predicted that the tired looking, almost reclusive Doctor would become the closest thing she had to a friend but she felt as if she couldn't trust anyone else.

She slept most of the day away. She hadn't drunk for such a long time that her body had little tolerance for it. She hadn't much love for alcohol when she was growing up; she had been too busy learning to fight and kill to bother with much recreation and social life, but after a while she saw the appeal of it. Horror was her vocation and sometimes the things she saw were so nightmarish all she could do was drink to block it all out. But in time she learned to deal with what she saw, she became desensitised to violence and death and no longer needed to drink to deal with it all.

When she woke the sun was going down and the house was quiet. She dressed slowly and left her hair tumbling down her back in a messy cascade of black night. As she passed Vanessa's room she saw that it was empty as usual. She crept downstairs where she eventually found Doctor Frankenstein working with a man she recognised and was very surprised to see.

"Doctor Van Helsing!" She gasped, smiling in surprise. He was sitting at a desk with Doctor Frankenstein, the two of them working away at all manner of scientific equipment. While she had slept the house has been busy, Victor and Van Helsing and had been examining the blood of the creature and Victor had already begun a blood transfusion to determine if it would have any effect on its state, though there had been little in the way of results.

The older man looked up and smiled "Phaedra my child!" he exclaimed, crossing the room and pulling her into a warm embrace, then holding her at arm's length to examine her much like a parent would "Why does it not surprise me to find you here?" he asked, smiling with affection as she smiled back at him and shrugged. She was thrilled to see him; she had been in much need of a friendly face to reassure her "Are you well? You look tired child." He said, worry beginning to mar him.

"I am okay." She said "tired to say the least but aren't we all." He beamed again and pulled her in a strong, warm embrace. She had worked with Van Helsing before, as he knew as much about the beasts they hunted as she did, and he had become extremely found of her during the time they had spent together.

"I assume the two of you have met before" Victor said, coming to stand behind them and feeling as though he was the third wheel in a long awaited reunion.

"Yes, yes" Van Helsing said, still unable to look away from Phaedra "We've worked together several times before my young friend, Miss Clerval and I are quite well acquainted" he said. Victor eyed Phaedra suspiciously; surely she should've told Sir Malcolm she already knew a haematologist. Phaedra shot him a glance that he understood to mean he should shut his mouth. He said nothing; for some reason he couldn't explain, he trusted her.

"How thrilling" Victor said with feigned interested before returning to his seat "Doctor, we should return to our work…" He said, pulling a microscope close to him.

"Yes yes of course" Van Helsing said, remembering why he was there. He hugged Phaedra one last time then smiled again "we must catch up my girl, yes, at our closest convenience, I have much to tell you." With his last statement his eyes turned dark and trouble and Phaedra frowned, worried by the sudden change in attitude but filled with intrigued.

"Yes as soon as you are free Doctor." Phaedra said, clasping his hands before turning and leaving the two men of science to their work. She had to talk to the Doctor soon she knew. If Sir Malcolm had consulted him then he was coming close to figuring the awful truth out.

…

It was much later in the day when Phaedra, Sir Malcolm and Victor were alone in the house. The three of them were sitting in silence, the two men studying and Phaedra idly flicking through some Shakespeare. No one had spoken for a long time when there was a loud crash from upstairs and Victor looked up.

"I thought Miss Ives had gone out." He said.

"She has" Phaedra said without looking up from her book. Vanessa had gone out to the theatre, a new past time she was flirting with. Phaedra suspected it was to gain the attentions of some man.

"Your man then?" Victor then asked Sir Malcolm. Before anyone could reply there was another crash from somewhere above them, and all three of them gazed upwards.

"Sembene is off tonight." Sir Malcolm said, as he and Phaedra got to their feet and Victor slowly followed. They walked quickly towards the stairs in search of the source of the noise "Phaedra, check on our friend in the basement" Sir Malcolm said. Phaedra nodded and stalked silently away as the two men made their way upstairs.

Phaedra moved quickly and quietly through the nearly pitch black house, stopping only to pick up a candle and her knives on her way down to the basement. She pulled the huge wooden door to the basement open and descended the stairs to where they had the feral creature chained to the wall. Terror washed over her like an ice cold bath as she got to the bottom of the steps and found nothing but the broken manacles.

She dropped the candle and turned to run back up the stairs, taking them two at a time as she did "SIR MALCOLM!" She screamed as she sprinted through the house, flinging doors open in front of her as she ran. She skidded around corners and ran through rooms until she was at the bottom of the stairs and she took those also two at a time.

She sprinted down the main landing and found them in Vanessa's room. The creature was there looking at them, just like the other, snarling with hate, the master. The other, the one they had captured was hanging onto Sir Malcolm's back like a monkey, screaming "she's not here master!" to the master.

Phaedra ran into the room knife in hand and threw herself at the much more sinister creature, landing on its back with her arms around its neck, burying a knife into the middle of its chest, aiming for the heart and barely missing. It screamed in pain and reached a long clawed hand behind itself, grabbing her by the shoulder and piercing her with its clawed fingers. Phaedra screamed too as it pulled her forwards over its shoulder and flung her across the room, tearing the flesh of her right shoulder open as it did. She hit the wall with a thud and crashed heavily to the floor face down.

When she looked up the creature had gone, having fled through a window with her knife still inside its chest. Victor tried to wrestle Fenton off Sir Malcolm but had failed and had been thrown against a wall himself. Phaedra scrambled to her feet, ignoring the pain and the blood running down her back and came to her employer's aid. She grabbed Fenton and pried him away from Sir Malcolm as he slammed his elbow into his side and flung the monster backwards, where he fell and impaled the back of his hand on a broken shard of glass, utterly only the word "mother.." before it died alone and afraid.

The three of them stood in shock, panting and starring at the dead creature. Phaedra felt a fresh wave of pain wash over her as the adrenalin began to wear off and felt her knees buckle, almost sending her to the ground before both men rushed forward to catch her.

…

Victor was alone in one of the bedrooms when there was a light knock on the door. He had stayed at the house a few nights and had adopted a room for himself that he felt comfortable in and usually kept a clean change of clothes in there. He walked to the door and pulled it up to find Phaedra there, looking up at him and clutching her right shoulder with blood soaked fingers. He stepped aside to let her in.

"Would you be so kind Doctor?" she asked him "I believe I may need medical attention" she said in a very small almost vulnerable voice he'd never heard from her before.

"Of course" he said, shutting the door behind her "Take a seat" he said and she sat down on the edge of the bed. He walked over to the desk and picked up his Doctors bag, then sat down on the edge of the bed behind her with the bag beside him.

Her shirt was ruined, stained with blood all down the back and torn open where her skin was too. Victor started to move her long hair out of the way, gently when he noticed her wincing in pain "I'll need you to tie your hair up" he said, brushing it over her left shoulder.

"Could you?" she asked, looking back over her shoulder at him "I can't with only one hand." She said.

He nodded and smiled at her, the vulnerable look in her green eyes made his chest hurt. He pulled the thin scarf from around his own neck and used it to carefully tie her hair up as well as he could at the crown of her head, it was messy but it would do. He moved back to her injured shoulder and gently pulled the thin material of her shirt away from her skin before saying "I'll need you to take this off I'm afraid."

Phaedra nodded and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, her movements pained and awkward with an injured arm, but eventually she got it open and off her left arm, then held her arm up while Victor helped free her injured right side. He was a gentleman the whole time, making sure not to look at her exposed chest. Once it was off he crossed the room and passed her his own clean shirt "Here, cover yourself with this" he said.

She smiled and nodded, holding it against her chest "Thank you" she said.

Victor left her for a moment to fill a basin of water then came back and began to slowly clean her blood soaked back. It was all down her back and he assumed some of it may have even seeped into her trousers but he soon had her clean. He wouldn't like to think how much she had lost, but he also wasn't alarmed by it.

"What you did tonight… you may have saved our lives" Victor said as he washed her shoulder wounds clean.

Phaedra laughed lightly and shook her head "Oh I don't think so Doctor but you're very kind to say so." She said.

"No I mean it" he said firmly "That thing could've killed us both but you weren't afraid, you attacked it like it was nothing."

Phaedra shrugged "It's what I do." She said. He knew it was the sad truth.

Once the wound was clean Victor leaned forward to examine it. This close to her he could feel the heat coming from her skin, smell the scent of her soap and he had to fight with a desire to rest his cheek against her naked back. There were three long, deep and jagged gashes in her shoulder, right from the edge of the shoulder blades to the shoulder itself, each about four to five inches long and all very red and very angry, she would need treatment to keep infections out "I'll have to stitch these" he said, rummaging around his bag for a needle.

"I suspected you might." She said. Victor said nothing as he threaded his needle and prepared himself. He glanced down at her and saw several already healed cuts on her back.

"Do you need anything for the pain?" he asked.

"No" she said, shaking her "I can handle it."

Victor worked in silence as he carefully stitched her up. He worked slowly, as to make sure every stitch was perfect to limit any scarring, she clearly had enough of that. Phaedra was brave but he felt the vulnerability emanating from her and he was only half surprised when he saw her bow her head forward and sob into her hand. The sight of her upset didn't feel right to him, she wasn't weak like this and suddenly he realised the tables had turned and he was the one doing the protecting. Seeing her in her most vulnerable moment like that made him appreciate all she was. He could truly see now for the first time just how young she was, she wasn't wise beyond her years anymore, instead she was just a young girl in pain and afraid who had endured too much. But this was the side no one else ever saw, they only ever saw Phaedra the hunter, hard and untouchable.

When he was finished Victor washed the cuts once again and then bandaged her up and helped her pull his shirt on properly, then he stood and walked around to stand in front of her "I'm going to give you something for the pain" he said as he sat down facing her. She began to shake her head but he wasn't prepared to listen to any protests "Phaedra" he said, grabbing her hands and looking into her eyes "you need pain relief, it'll help you sleep."

"I don't want-" she started.

"It'll be fine, I promise" he said. She looked at him for a long moment, considering. He was right, she _did_ need sleep and her whole body was wracked with pain. She was so very very tired…

"Okay" she said. He smiled triumphantly and reached over, taking a small case from his bag. Inside were vials and needles. He took a needle and filled it from one of the vials "what is it?" she asked.

"Morphine" he said "it's quite safe don't worry." He said, smiling up at her as he rubbed on the inside of her elbow to find a vein. Once he found on he pushed the needle in and gave her the relief she needed. As he pulled his hand away, she grabbed it in her own. He looked up at her and found her looking at him curiously through exhausted eyes.

He could feel his heart beating in his chest suddenly. Her hand was small and warm in his and he became hyper aware of how close they were sitting. _She is beautiful _he admitted to himself for the first time. She looked beautiful though she was hurt and tired and he got an odd satisfaction from seeing her wearing his shirt. She leaned forward and suddenly her lips touched his. He kissed her back, reaching up to hold the back of her head. She kissed him slowly and gently and he felt himself falling into her. Her lips were soft and tasted like heaven and as he captured her bottom lip between his own he felt a cascade of urges hit him.

Then all too soon she was gone, she pulled away from him and smiled shyly, then moved to lie on his bed "Stay with me Victor" she mumbled. The morphine was kicking in, he had given her a high dosage and she was falling asleep. Victor moved up and lay beside her. She lay on her back and smiled up at him, then turned over onto her side, pulling him to lie pressed up against her from behind as she fell asleep.


End file.
